First Blush
by atthebeginningwithyou
Summary: Slight crossover with NCIS really just Special Agent Tony DiNozzo. When Special Agent Tony DiNozzo helps the CSI team on a case involving a naval officer, sparks fly between Tony and Sara. Will Grissom do anything about it?
1. Chapter 1

Title: First Blush  
Author: atthebeginningwithyou

Rating: T  
Summary: Crossover (kinda) with NCIS. When Special Agent Tony DiNozzo helps the CSI team on a case involving a naval officer, sparks fly between Tony and Sara. What does Grissom think about all this?  
Disclaimer: None of them belong to me… although I wouldn't mind some Michael Weatherly or Billy Peterson for my next birthday.  
Author's Notes: Crossover with NCIS, well just Special Agent Tony DiNozzo (a show I just recently got really obsessed with drools). Set pre Canon. I'm still unsure if this will end up GSR or not. It probably will, we will see, because Tony is quite a catch I think. le sigh

Thanks to **LosingInTranslation **for the beta!

Chapter 1

"_At first blush the idea possesses considerable intuitive appeal but on closer examination it fails"_

Sara Sidle sauntered toward the break room in search of some much needed coffee. The aroma of a fresh batch invaded her senses as she approached the door. She was greeted with the sight of Greg brewing a new batch of his special Blue Hawaiian. Sara smiled as Greg handed her a fresh cup, which she graciously took.

"Do you have any idea why Grissom called us in early for shift?" Greg questioned as he sat down at the table.

"No idea" Sara replied back as she eased herself onto the couch. One by one the rest of the team filtered in with tired looks on all their faces. They all sat down awaiting their supervisor and an explanation of why they were here so early.

Finally, Grissom walked in a minute later with a man trailing behind him. The investigators curiously eyed the man that followed Grissom in as he motioned for him to step into the room.

"Alright guys, we have a tough case on our hands" Grissom explained. "All hands are on deck. We have three murdered naval officers in a room at the Bellagio. One of them is apparently a war hero which is why this case is so high profile. Eckile _insists_ that an NCIS special agent be with us for this investigation. So Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo is here to _help_ with the case." Grissom finished with annoyance obvious in his voice, gesturing towards the man on his left.

The team looked shocked for a moment before Catherine rose and introduced herself "Hi, I'm Catherine. And this is Warrick, Nick, Greg, and Sara."

DiNozzo stretched out his arm to shake hands with the rest of the team. Sara rose as DiNozzo stretched his hand to hers. "Why hello, Sara." DiNozzo said with a smirk as he pushed his sunglasses onto the top of his head.

"Fancy seeing you here, DiNozzo" Sara replied. Sara felt a wave of warmth invade her body as their hands connected. The familiar feeling of butterflies filled her stomach again. Here, before her stood a man she has not seen in years. Yet, the feelings that she thought were gone forever came back with a vengeance.

"Why so formal, Sweet Cheeks? I thought we were on a first name basis," DiNozzo grinned.

Sara felt a blush creep up her cheeks. "We would be, if you finally stop calling me 'Sweet Cheeks', although it is refreshing to see that your jackass attitude is still in place" Sara shot back.

"Sara, my dear, I believe you meant charm, not attitude," DiNozzo explained as he invaded her personal space.

The room was silent for a moment, as the rest of the team watched the flirtatious banter between the two until Greg finally spoke up "Wait, you two know each other?"

Sara shot a glance towards DiNozzo "Yeah, I've known Little Hairy Butt over here for over 10 years now."

"Hey!" DiNozzo exclaimed "I thought we were laying off the pet names… Pookie."

Sara bit back a grin as she turned back to the rest of the team "Tony and I worked a couple of cases together when I was looking for a job after college. I went to DC to check out forensic positions in the federal government and did a trial period with NCIS for a month. Then I realized how much I missed the Pacific Ocean, so I went back to San Francisco."

She quickly turned her attention back to DiNozzo "So, how's Gibbs?"

"He knew you were here, so he told me to give you this," DiNozzo explained as he playfully slapped her on the back of the head.

"Tell Gibbs I miss him too," Sara smiled.

Sara was so immersed in conversation with her old friend, that she failed to notice the glaring look Grissom was directing to the man who stood a little too close to her.

The rest of the team looked at the ongoing conversation in shock. Catherine leaned over to Nick and Warrick, "I didn't know that Sara worked with NCIS!"

"Neither did I," replied Nick. "I guess there are a lot of things we don't know about Sara's life before she moved to Vegas."

"It seems like she and Special Agent DiNozzo know each other _pretty well_," Greg whispered as he scooted closer to the group.

"A little too well" Catherine chimed in as she eyed DiNozzo up and down. "I have to admit that she has a fine taste in men."

"What does he have that I don't?" Greg sighed to himself as he ran his fingers through his hair.

Grissom could not stand watching Sara and DiNozzo flirt for one more second. He cleared his throat loudly, which caused everyone to snap their attention back towards him. "Now, if we can get to work please?" Grissom gruffly stated as he glared at DiNozzo.

"Sorry, Sir," DiNozzo answered coolly as he followed Grissom out the door.

"We'll take two Tahoes to the crime scene" Grissom explained as the team headed towards the garage. "I'll drive one and Warrick will drive the other" he finished as he tossed a second set of keys to Warrick. Catherine and Nick headed over to one Tahoe with Warrick, while Grissom, Greg, Sara, and DiNozzo headed to the other.

"I wish I could be a fly on the wall in the other Tahoe," Catherine muttered to Nick and Warrick as they approached their Tahoe.

"It should be an interesting ride" Nick agreed as he jumped into the back seat.

"Shotgun!" Greg exclaimed as he raced towards the other SUV. Sara rolled her eyes playfully at Tony as she climbed into the back row of seats.

DiNozzo slid in next to her and muttered "His loss, because now we can make out back here."

Grissom's face paled as he heard the comment. He now disliked that man with every bone in his body.

Sara chuckled while giving DiNozzo a playful punch in the arm "It feels good to have you around again."

"I feel the same way" DiNozzo smiled. "But I thought you said that nothing would drag you away from San Francisco and the Pacific. Yet, here you are living in the Nevada desert for more than 4 years. What changed your mind?"

Sara quickly glanced at the driver of the Tahoe before carefully replying "I don't know. It just happened."

"There must be some reason" Tony prodded further.

"Maybe there was a reason at some point. I don't know if it is there anymore," Sara replied with a tinge of sadness in her voice.

"Well, if that is the case, maybe I can finally convince you to come back to NCIS. We need someone to keep Gibbs on his toes."

Sara smirked at Tony "What makes you think that you can finally convince me?"

DiNozzo thought for a moment before grinning at her, "My charm?" He replied as he quirked his eyebrow at her.

Sara's laugh echoed in the car.

Grissom's hands gripped the steering wheel even tighter as he tried to control his emotions. _This cannot be happening_ Grissom thought. _What does this kid think he is doing? Sara is too good for this jerk._ Grissom felt his throat constrict as he heard Sara giggle again.

He snuck a quick look into the rearview mirror. His heart clenched in his chest as he saw Sara truly happy for the first time in three years. Sadly, he was not the one who was providing that happiness. Deep down, he always knew that he wanted to be the guy who brought a smile to Sara Sidle's face every day, but, he wasn't that guy. And now it might really be too late for him to ever be that guy.

**TBC… So tell me what you guys think, and as I have mentioned before I'm still debating if this will end up GSR (even though I feel like it most likely will be), so I'll take your opinions into account when writing future chapters. I hoped you enjoyed it and I would love a review… reviews are like warm towels out of the dryer for me… I love them!**


	2. Chapter 2

Title: First Blush  
Author: atthebeginningwithyou

Rating: T  
Summary: Crossover (kinda) with NCIS. When Special Agent Tony DiNozzo helps the CSI team on a case involving a naval officer, sparks fly between Tony and Sara. What does Grissom think about all this?  
Disclaimer: None of them belong to me… although I wouldn't mind some Michael Weatherly or Billy Peterson for my next birthday.  
Author's Notes: Crossover with NCIS, well just Special Agent Tony DiNozzo (a show I just recently got really obsessed with drools). Set pre Canon. I'm still unsure if this will end up GSR or not. It probably will, we will see, because Tony is quite a catch I think. le sigh

Thanks to **LosingInTranslation **for the beta!

Chapter 2

They arrived at the crime scene in record time, and none too soon. Grissom desperately needed to get out of that car and get his mind off of Sara. Warrick's Tahoe pulled up a second after Grissom jumped out of the car and slammed the door shut. The team grabbed their kits from the trunk and approached Jim Brass, who was waiting for them at the hotel entrance.

"What do we have?" asked Grissom.

"Three dead naval officers in murder central on the third floor. Nothing was taken from the room, ids and wallets are still intact. Petty Officer Richard Albrecht, Petty Officer Samuel Johnson, and Chief Petty Officer Kenneth Parker all came to Vegas for some fun while they were on leave. Seems like they had a little too much fun, the place is a mess, broken stuff all over the place. No one heard or saw anything. Cleaning lady discovered them when a call was made to housekeeping for fresh towels. She got quite a scare when she opened the door. She's giving her statement to Sophia. David's already up in the room."

"Thanks Brass," Grissom turned to the rest of the team, "Let's get up there and see what we're dealing with before we split up."

The team followed Grissom up to the third floor. They all crowded around the doorway to get a look at their crime scene. As Grissom went to take a step inside, DiNozzo immediately shouted "Stop! Right where you are!"

Grissom's head whipped around and he glared at the younger man "Excuse me?" Grissom spoke through clentched teeth, "I'm the supervisor here, and I don't know how they run things at NCIS, but I call the shots."

"Not right now you don't" snapped DiNozzo. He turned to Sara. "Notice anything familiar?"

Sara's eyes quickly scanned the entire crime scene. The three officers all had one gunshot wound, right in the middle of their foreheads. The bodies were placed side by side, arms crossed over their chests, and their feet were bound together with rope. Sara felt her breath stick in her throat as the information processed in her mind. "David!" she called out to the coroner who was hunched over the bodies. "Did you move them?"

"No… of course not, Sara" David replied, "This is how they were found."

Sara turned back to Tony and their eyes locked. "He's back."

"Who?" Greg piped up, and looked just as confused as the rest of the team.

DiNozzo motioned for the group to back away from the doorway and started to explain. "When Sara and I worked together we were assigned a case out near Bethesda. Three murdered sailors in a hotel room. One gunshot wound to the head for each man. They were all found lying side by side, arms crossed, and feet bound. We never found a weapon. The perp left no trace, no fibers, no hair, no evidence at all that another person had even stepped foot in the room. The victims had no enemies, and no connections that would make them a target to anyone. Case went unsolved, and then we got another call two weeks later. Another three sailors were dead with the same signature: no enemies, no trace, just another three families without a father. Same type of rope linked both crime scenes together, but other than that, another cold case. And here we are again it seems," DiNozzo finished, glancing back into the room. "Just like old times, huh, Sara?" DiNozzo smirked as he patted Sara on the back.

Sara rolled her eyes at DiNozzo's question, but once she saw Grissom's glare it stopped cold.

"Well, this is still **_my_** jurisdiction and **_my_** crime scene. You're only here to observe DiNozzo. I run the show" Grissom snarled as he pushed past DiNozzo.

"Fine, but I'll have to call my supervisor to make him aware of this," DiNozzo replied while pulling out his cell phone. "Don't get too comfortable Dr. Grissom, I have a strong feeling NCIS will be given jurisdiction over this investigation."

Grissom mumbled something that sounded like a profanity under his breath as DiNozzo walked away talking to Gibbs. "Alright," Grissom barked "I want this place processed as thoroughly as possible. Greg and Nick, you take the perimeter, look into how the perp got in and out of this hotel room. Check all the security cameras and get the tapes sent over to Archie. Catherine, interview the cleaning lady and any of the staff who may have interacted with these guys. If anyone has even nodded hello to any of these sailors, I want to know about it. Warrick, you're with me, we need to process this room inch by inch. There has to be something here. Alright, let's get to work."

The team stood there in confused silence for a moment before Sara spoke up, "Ah, what about me, Grissom?"

"Go baby sit your boyfriend" Grissom snapped.

Sara's fists clenched tightly at her sides. The rest of the team looked at each other with shocked and horrified expressions. They mentally braced themselves for the impending explosion.

Sara was about to give Grissom a piece of her mind when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Sara, what's wrong?" DiNozzo asked, concern etched on his face.

Sara's grip loosened, and her shoulders relaxed, "Nothing, I'm fine. I just need some air. I'm suffocating in here."

"Don't go too far," DiNozzo stated "Gibbs wants NCIS to take over this case."

Fury enveloped Grissom's body as he spat out "What?"

"You're Director Ecklie told me that your team assist NCIS with this investigation, but I, along with Sara, will be the primaries on this one," DiNozzo finished.

"Me?" Sara questioned DiNozzo skeptically.

"Yeah, Gibbs made it a point to have you be a primary on this case. You left quite an impact on all of us, but that goes double for Gibbs" DiNozzo flashed her with a smile before he continued, "You're still one of the only people he trusts. He doesn't even trust me that much."

Sara smiled slightly at the compliment. "I miss Gibbs" she sighed.

"Hey, maybe after we knock out this case, let's you and me talk about your return… to NCIS, of course," DiNozzo said raising his eyebrows at Sara with a playful grin.

Sara quickly glanced between Grissom and Tony, "Maybe." she whispered quietly.

An uncomfortable silence finally enveloped the group until Brass came jogging towards them. "Hey, we've got a 419 out in Henderson. They need CSI out there fast, something about evidence that might be getting contaminated."

Grissom snapped straight back into supervisor mode "Catherine, Nick, Warrick; I want you three on that case."

"Alrighty then," Nick replied giving Sara a sympathetic look as he followed Warrick and Catherine to the elevator.

"So, are Gibbs, McGee, and that new girl coming out?" Sara questioned.

"No, there's a big case already in progress down there, so it's all in our hands. By the way, that girl's name is Ziva," DiNozzo added. "She's good, but she's no Kate."

Sara smiled sadly as she remarked, "Yeah, no one can replace Kate."

DiNozzo smiled back, and then turned to Grissom, "Sorry about all this, Dr. Grissom, but NCIS needs to be the lead when a known serial is involved. We'll work with you and your team as best as we can, but NCIS cannot take a backseat when the lives of our naval officers are at stake." DiNozzo looked each person in the eye before he settled into lead mode. "Why don't you and Sara process the hotel room? Sander, you can take the perimeter. I'm gonna talk to Detective Brass and then I need to relay some messages to Gibbs."

DiNozzo turned back to Sara once more and said, "Call me if you need anything, or if by some miracle you find something probative."

"Thanks," Sara sighed.

With that, DiNozzo turned on his heel and headed downstairs to chat with Brass. Sara turned to look at Grissom and found his stony face. Grissom brusquely pushed passed her and entered the hotel room without saying a word.

_It is going to be a LONG night,_ Sara thought as she headed in after him.

**Whew! Another chapter done! Hopefully I'll have another one up soon! Don't forget to review!**


	3. Chapter 3

Title: First Blush  
Author: atthebeginningwithyou

Rating: T  
Summary: Crossover (kinda) with NCIS. When Special Agent Tony DiNozzo helps the CSI team on a case involving a naval officer, sparks fly between Tony and Sara. What does Grissom think about all this?  
Disclaimer: None of them belong to me… although I wouldn't mind some Michael Weatherly or Billy Peterson for my next birthday.

"Straight Up" by Paula Abdul doesn't belong to me either (thank god)  
Author's Notes: Crossover with NCIS, well just Special Agent Tony DiNozzo (a show I just recently got really obsessed with drools). Set pre Canon. I'm still unsure if this will end up GSR or not. It probably will, we will see, because Tony is quite a catch I think. le sigh

Thanks to **LosingInTranslation **for the beta!

Chapter 3

Grissom and Sara quietly processed the hotel room. Grissom could feel the anger that radiated from Sara's body. She refused to look at him, still furious about his previous comment. Every time Grissom would try to catch her gaze, she shot back icy daggers that made his heart clench coldly. _So this is what it feels like to be pushed away and ignored_, Grissom thought. Waves of guilt radiated through his body as he remembered all the times he hurt Sara though his cold shoulder.

Three hours had gone by at a painfully slow pace. Sara finally stood up from her crouched position to stretch her legs as Tony walked back in the door.

"Find anything?" Tony asked, looking at both investigators.

"Nothing," Sara sighed, her tone and body language clearly showed her frustration. "No fibers, no hairs, not even a skin cell. This guy can't get away with this again."

"Maybe Doc Robbins will find something on the body" Grissom cautiously piped up. "Many serials have a tendency towards complacency after while and it can cause them to get sloppy," he finished with a shrug.

Sara gave Grissom a half-hearted smile. "Yeah."

Grissom returned the gesture, trying to ease the tension that still lingered between them.

"Are you both finished with processing?" Tony questioned, surveying the room once more.

"Yeah, we're done," Sara sighed once more as she packed up her kit.

"Alright… pack up the evidence, and let's head back to the lab," DiNozzo stated. He tossed the car keys to Sara "You drive, Sara."

"Me?" Sara questioned, the confusion apparent on her face.

"Yeah, you're lead on this case. It's not just me running the show here," DiNozzo replied with a smile.

"Wow, I thought I would never see the day that Mr. Anthony DiNozzo would willingly share the leadership position. I guess Gibbs was right, you are changing for the better," Sara smirked as she headed out the door.

"Gibbs said that?!" Tony asked excitedly as he followed her out the door.

Grissom felt lost standing in the middle of their exchange. He sighed heavily as he closed his kit and headed out the door behind them.

Greg met the three of them back at the Tahoe with the rest of the evidence in hand. "Find anything, Greg?" Sara questioned as they loaded their kits into the trunk.

"No," Greg sighed as he climbed into the backseat.

Tony moved fast and jumped into the front passenger seat before Grissom could even get to the side of the car. He groaned as he climbed into the backseat next to Greg.

Sara pulled away from the crime scene with a very quiet crew. Two minutes into the drive, the silence in the car had become unbearable for Tony. He leaned forward and started playing with the radio in an attempt to find a good station.

"Ah! Here we go," Tony said, flashing a devilish grin at Sara.

_Lost in a dream  
Don't know which way to go  
If you are all that you seem  
Then baby I'm moving way too slow_

"Turn it off," grumbled a smiling Sara.

"Oh, Sweet Cheeks, I thought you liked this song" Tony shot back. "You liked it enough to do a little karaoke."

"Somehow… I knew that drunken night with the guys would come back to haunt me some day," Sara sighed. "And we only sang it because Kate and I lost that stupid bet. It was **not** done of my own free will."

"Suuuure," Tony drew out in a long breath.

"Like McGee would ever sing Britney Spears without your influence," Sara sarcastically noted. "Just shut up and change the station, DiNozzo," Sara demanded once again.

Tony was about to comply, when he and Sara heard a soft voice from the backseat:

"_Straight up now tell me  
Do you really want to love me forever oh oh oh  
Or am I caught in a hit and run  
Straight up now tell me  
Is it gonna be you and me together oh oh oh" _Greg, who was too occupied to listen to the other's conversation, suddenly felt the eyes of the investigators staring at him. He stopped singing mid verse. His face turned red as he stated "What?... I don't just listen to heavy metal." He turned his face quickly towards the window in order to hide his rapidly rising blush.

Sara and Tony burst out into laughter, and he finally changed the radio station. Soon, smooth jazz filled the car, and everyone relaxed back into their seats.

Silence filled the car once again until DiNozzo turned back to Sara, "Do you still sing Sara?"

Sara smiled sadly, "Not so much any more."

"Why not?"

"I just never got around to it after I moved here" Sara shrugged.

"That's a shame," Tony said, glancing over at her. "You were probably one of the best at NCIS. You have such a beautiful voice."

"Oh please, Tony. Compared to McGee's drunk karaoke, a screeching cat would sound better."

"You underestimate your talents Sweet Cheeks," He punctuated the statement with a wink then settled back into his seat when he added, "Well, once I convince you to come back to NCIS, we'll go to every karaoke bar in DC. We'll make McGee drunk enough to sing some Jessica Simpson. Oooo! Or, better yet, Christina Aguilara." The waggle of his eyebrows made Sara chuckle.

Greg, now fully alert to the conversation, leaned forward in his seat. "Sara, you're not really thinking about leaving us?"

Sara softly sighed and glanced into the rearview mirror, "I think DiNozzo meant _if_ he was able to convince me to go back to DC."

Greg settled back into his seat and the car was silent for a moment. A fearful, yet strong voice called out from the backseat "You didn't answer the question. Sara. _Are_ you thinking about leaving?"

Sara looked into the mirror once more as she pulled up to a red light. Her eyes locked with the man who spoke up, "Let's just say… I'm considering _all_ my options, Grissom."

Grissom, turned his head towards the window, unable to hold her gaze anymore. _Sara is thinking about leaving_, Grissom thought as he watched the car pull onto the street in front of the lab. _ I'm really losing her._

Grissom slumped back into his seat as the Tahoe pulled to a stop in front of the lab.

**TBC. I hope you guys liked this chapter! Don't forget to review!**


	4. Chapter 4

Title: First Blush  
Author: atthebeginningwithyou

Rating: T  
Summary: Crossover (kinda) with NCIS. When Special Agent Tony DiNozzo helps the CSI team on a case involving a naval officer, sparks fly between Tony and Sara. What does Grissom think about all this?  
Disclaimer: None of them belong to me… although I wouldn't mind some Michael Weatherly or Billy Peterson for my next birthday.  
Author's Notes: Crossover with NCIS, well just Special Agent Tony DiNozzo (a show I just recently got really obsessed with drools). Set pre Canon. I'm still unsure if this will end up GSR or not. It probably will, we will see, because Tony is quite a catch I think. le sigh

Thanks to **LosingInTranslation **for the beta!

Chapter 4

Sara sighed as she placed the last crime scene photo on the layout table. DiNozzo and Grissom stood on opposite sides of the table scanning the pictures with the most serious expressions, both looking for something they might have missed.

She looked over at Tony, who nodded to her, "Let's run through it."

Sara took a breath and began "Three officers on leave decide to spend their time in Vegas."

"Gambling, bright lights, and pretty girls. Who could resist?" DiNozzo added in with a smile.

Sara rolled her eyes as she continued, "Security cameras on the elevators and place them inside their hotel room by 1 am. Since there were no cameras there, the perp probably used the stairway to get up to their room. It's possible the perp is someone they knew, or had found a way to get a room key, as there were no signs of forced entry. Doc Robbins estimates TOD at approximately 3 am. Phone call to housekeeping for towels was made at 3:15 am. Most likely the call was made by the perp before they used the same stairway as an exit."

"I had McGee send over the case files from our previous murders. We need to find the link between these cases," Tony chimed in again. "These killings are not random. Someone is out to get these particular officers for some sort of reason."

"What makes you say that?" questioned Sara.

"Call it a gut feeling," Tony shrugged.

Sara smiled and Grissom frowned. After all, Grissom relies on the science, not instinct.

By the look on his face, Sara knew Grissom was about to challenge the younger man's notion when she felt her phone vibrate on her hip. She unclipped it from her belt and looked down at the unfamiliar number. She flipped it open and with a puzzled look she stated "Sidle".

Her eyes lit up in recognition as she listened to the voice on the other end of the line. She quickly excused herself from the room, so that she could have the conversation away from the two men in the layout room.

An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Tony cleared his throat which caused Grissom to turn and look at the younger man.

"You have anything to add to Sara's thoughts?" DiNozzo asked Grissom.

"No," Grissom replied tersely.

DiNozzo turned to face Grissom, "Look, I'm trying to help you guys out here. If you have some problem with me, just say it. Say it so we can move on and solve this case!"

"I do have a problem with you," Grissom replied sharply. "I also don't think that we should be basing this case on 'gut feelings'. We should follow what never lies, the evidence."

"You sound like Ducky," DiNozzo replied coolly.

"Ducky?"

"Ducky is the coroner at NCIS…" DiNozzo took a calming breath and forged ahead. "Listen Dr. Grissom, I understand that the evidence doesn't lie, but sometimes when the evidence is limited, you have to follow your intuition. I'm not going to allow another naval officer to die because some sneaky bastard didn't leave any trace behind!" DiNozzo's voice grew louder as he glared at the man across the table.

"And he won't," stated a quiet voice from the doorway.

Both men turned their heads towards Sara, who had reentered the room while Tony went off on his tirade.

"That was Gibbs," Sara explained. "He told me that McGee was looking over the past two cases. It seems like all the men worked under the same officer at one point in their naval career. Commander Michael Brown, honorable discharge in 2000. He lives in Texas with his wife and two daughters. No motive as of yet, but it is our only connection between all these men."

"Where is he now?" asked DiNozzo.

"Wife claims he's out at a convention, in Vegas."

"Let's bring him in," DiNozzo sprang to life and jumped out of his chair.

"Don't get a head of yourself Tony," Sara stated as she blocked the doorway. "Grissom's right, we do need more evidence to link Brown to this before we bring him in. If he is our guy, we can't let him get out of it because of some stupid technicality."

"You're right," DiNozzo shrugged his shoulders.

Grissom felt a sense of pride fill his body. Sara was becoming one of the best investigators around. _Sara is so sexy when she talks about evidence,_ Grissom thought.

Grissom was ripped from his musings when he heard Sara ask DiNozzo "Why are you pushing Gibbs and Director Shepard to offer me a position at NCIS?"

"What?" Tony sputtered. "I didn't even mention it to them."

"Really?" Sara questioned skeptically with a raised eyebrow.

"Honestly, Sara, I didn't," Tony replied with his hands raised defensively. "It was hard for all of us when you left NCIS. You made our team complete, kept Gibbs on his toes. We missed you when you left. It was funny, Gibbs wanted to hunt you down and bring you back after you turned in your resignation. I thought we needed to let you do what you thought was best."

"Believe me, I thought I was, maybe I was wrong," Sara glanced quickly over at Grissom.

"Plain and simple Sara, _we _needed _you_. We still do," Tony stated.

"I told Gibbs I would think about it after we solve this case, and that is what I intend to do," Sara replied solemnly.

"That's all I can ask," Tony sighed as Sara nodded her head in reply. "Alright, why don't you two look over the case notes. I'll find Sanders and see if he's found anything. I'll call you guys when Robbins is ready for autopsy. I want you both to be there," and with that DiNozzo exited the layout room.

As he left the room, Sara quickly turned her attention to the crime scene photos. It was silent in the room for a minute before Grissom spoke up, "I would miss you."

Sara's head snapped up, "What?"

Blue eyes met her brown ones as he walked towards her, "If you left Las Vegas, I would miss you."

"Oh," Sara breathed out. She turned his gaze away from him and looked back at the photos on the table. "Why now?"

"I…I don't know Sara," Grissom stated with an uneasy voice.

"It's just because Tony is here," Sara stated, shaking her head sadly. "I should know better than to think that anything you are telling me right now comes from your heart."

Something snapped inside of Grissom, and his voice became firmer. "That is definitely not the case, Sara. Although I may not show it, I care about you. So much."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Sara whispered, shifting her gaze back to the floor.

Grissom placed his hand under her chin and raised up her head. "Because, I can't loose you. I only hope that I'm not too late."

Sara could feel the pinprick of tears welling up behind her eyes. "I don't know Grissom. Right now, all of this is looking a lot like jealousy. Tony and I are really close friends. He comes in on a case, we act like old friends, and all of a sudden you snap at him and at me. And now, you know what to do about this… this thing between us? Grissom…"

"Just tell me Sara, am I too late?" Grissom asked with a wavering voice.

"I honesty don't know," Sara quietly stated. She looked down at the photos once more "I need some coffee, I'll be back."

Grissom watched her retreat and head to the break room. He sank down into his chair with his head in his hands. He was at a complete and utter loss as to what he could do to make everything right again. But he had to do something. He needed Sara, more than anything else in the world. The migraine that was encroaching was nothing compared to the pain he now felt in his chest.

**TBC… Reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	5. Chapter 5

Title: First Blush  
Author: atthebeginningwithyou

Rating: T  
Summary: Crossover (kinda) with NCIS. When Special Agent Tony DiNozzo helps the CSI team on a case involving a naval officer, sparks fly between Tony and Sara. What does Grissom think about all this?  
Disclaimer: None of them belong to me… although I wouldn't mind some Michael Weatherly or Billy Peterson for my next birthday.  
Author's Notes: Crossover with NCIS, well just Special Agent Tony DiNozzo (a show I just recently got really obsessed with drools). Set pre Canon. I'm still unsure if this will end up GSR or not. It probably will, we will see, because Tony is quite a catch I think. le sigh

Thanks so much to **LosingInTranslation **for putting up with me and her amazing beta for all these chappies!

Chapter 5

DiNozzo, Sara, and Grissom were all sitting in the conference room discussing the case, when Greg Sanders burst through the door. "I got it!"

"What do you have Sanders?" DiNozzo questioned the young CSI.

"Fingernail scrapings from Petty Officer Samuel Johnson included epithelials. He was most likely the last man to get shot. Probably tried to attack the perp in an attempt to protect the others. From the looks of it, he was successful and got a piece of the attacker. Hodges got a hit off the DNA, and it matches to… drum roll please," Greg awaited for someone to make the appropriate sounds.

"Who Greg?" Grissom asked sharply, which caused the younger man to flinch.

"Commander Michael Brown, his DNA is already in the system thanks to good ol' Uncle Sam."

"Good job Sanders," DiNozzo nodded at Greg. "Looks like we got him, so Sara, let's bring him in."

One search warrant later, and the team had brought Commander Michael Brown in for interrogation. They found him in a hotel room at the Bellagio, as he was packing up for his trip back home to Texas.

Faced with a warrant, his room was searched and Sara found a hotel room key and a magnetic stripe changer in his luggage. In the interrogation room, Sara and Tony worked in perfect synchronization with each other. Grissom observed the pair from the observation room. Grissom could see how Tony and Sara easily read each other and communicated just though their eye contact and body language. They expertly cornered and trapped Commander Brown with the evidence.

Confronted with all the evidence against him, Commander Michael Brown confessed to the murders. When asked why he murdered those officers, Commander Brown admitted that the men owed him money totaling $3,000 from illegal gambling transactions.

As they took the Commander away, Sara looked on sadly and stated, "People will do anything to get a couple hundred dollars back."

"Or revenge," DiNozzo added. He turned his attention back to Grissom and Greg. Tony reached a hand out to Grissom and said, "Thanks for you're help Dr. Grissom. NCIS appreciates your help, and great work Sanders."

"Thanks," Greg smiled, appreciating Tony's compliment. "I should get going. I have a hot date tonight, so I better rest up," Greg waggled his eyebrows and headed toward the doors.

"See you later Greg," Sara called after him.

"Well, Sweet Cheeks, I think I still owe you a breakfast before I leave. And maybe I can still convince you to come back home with me," Tony smirked, nodding his head towards the door.

"Sure, breakfast sounds good, but 'home' part.. we still have a few things to discuss. Let me just get my purse," Sara quickly turned towards the locker room in order to avoid Grissom's gaze as she passed.

Sara had no idea that Grissom had been following her until she bumped into him when she turned abruptly in front of her locker.

Sara looked up at Grissom and saw something she had never seen before in his eyes; fear.

"Please don't leave, Sara. I don't know what I would do without you," Grissom whispered.

"Grissom, I-I don't know… Why now? Why should I believe you?" Sara replied, her eyes suddenly becoming moist with tears.

"I know I've messed everything up. I pushed you away and I've hurt you far too many times. You gave me so many chances and I've neglected to take advantage of a single one. But…I finally know what to do about _this _thing between us." Grissom gave his plea, looking directly in her eyes. He looked desperate; he leaned into her, resisting the urge to pull her close to him and never let her go. This was it; he was putting it all on the table. This was his last chance to make everything right. He couldn't lose her forever.

"Grissom, if Tony hadn't come here, you'd never be telling me these things," Sara whispered softly as a lone tear trickled down her face. "Are you sure it's not because you just can't stand the idea of another man being around me?"

"Honey, I can assure you that this is not jealousy," Grissom firmly stated as he took a step closer to Sara. "This is never the way I wanted to tell you, but I can't afford to lose you this way. Sara, I care deeply about you. Please, just give me one more chance."

"I just don't know if I can do that." Sara wiped away her tears and quickly pushed passed Grissom. "I'm tired of getting hurt," she uttered as she exited the locker room.

Grissom dropped down onto the bench and put his head into his hands in defeat.

---

Sara walked briskly past Tony, "Ready to go?" she asked him without looking back.

"What's wrong Sara?" Tony asked as he tried to match her long strides.

"Nothing, I'm fine. Let's go eat," Sara said, as she walked to the SUV.

"Wait, Sara," Tony pulled on her arm, stopping Sara in her tracks. "I know you too well. You can't lie to me. What's wrong?"

"Can we talk about this somewhere else?" Sara pleaded as tears threatened to spill down her cheeks once more.

"Ok, let's go get some food and we'll talk," Tony tugged on her elbow and opened the door of her Denali.

Sara handed over her keys and gave Tony directions to the diner nearby as he navigated the Denali down the streets of Las Vegas. When they arrived, Tony guided Sara to a secluded booth in the back corner where they could talk without being overheard.

After a moment of uneasy silence, Tony lightly nudged his foot against hers. "So, I guess this means you're not coming back with me," Tony stated after the waitress poured both of them some more coffee and served their food.

Sara looked up startled, "What are you talking about?"

"Sara, you're like a sister to me, and I care about you just as much. But there is someone in this world that cares about you more than anyone else could."

"Who?" Sara asked with and arched eyebrow.

"Grissom," Tony stated matter of factly.

Sara started to protest, "Grissom doesn't care about anything, except his job and his bugs."

"I beg to differ, Sara." Tony leered at her from over his cup. "You should have seen his face when I made that crack about you and I making out in the back seat."

"That was just misdirected jealousy, Tony."

"He's afraid to lose you, Sara," Tony placed his hand on top of hers. "He cares for you so deeply Sara. Anyone can see it in the way he can't take his eyes off of you when you walk into the room. He's so stuck on you it's not even funny. That man would do anything for you, anything your kinky little heart desires," Tony finished waggling his eyebrows at her.

Sara swiftly countered with, "What makes you the expert on love, Mr. I-can't-go-for-more-than-eleven-days-without-getting-any?"

"Funny, Sweet Cheeks. Well some guys aren't as quick as me to snag the girl he wants," Tony stated with a smirk. Sara skeptically raised her eyebrows at him. "Fine, I talked to that chick Catherine, and she told me about this little dance you two have been doing around each other for the past five years. She said something along the lines that I was probably just the thing Grissom needed to get him to finally lift his head out of the microscope, and give him a swift kick in the ass."

Sara chuckled lightly at his last remark.

"Just go talk to him, Sara." He paused for a moment and then smiled, "And for the record, if you do change your mind, even though I have a feeling you won't, Gibbs says there will always be a place for you at NCIS," Tony reminded her as they finished up their meal.

Tony motioned to the waitress for the check, and as Sara reached for her purse he told her, "This one's on me, Sweet Cheeks."

"When does you're flight leave?" Sara asked Tony as they headed out the door.

"Three hours. I'm going to catch a cab and head back to my hotel to pack and leave for the airport," Tony said pulling her into a bear hug.

"Please let me drive you," Sara offered as she returned his hug.

"Nah, I'm a big boy, and you should go talk to him," Tony told her giving her shoulders a final squeeze. "Be happy Sara. You, of all the people in this world, deserve to be happy. Now, go get him tiger," Tony finished as he gave her a playful slap on the back.

"Come back and visit real soon," Sara told him firmly.

"Yeah, I'll make sure to bring McGee down here next time. Take him to a couple strip clubs, and make him a man," Tony chuckled as he hailed down a cab. Tony gave Sara one more hug before he slid into the backseat of the cab. "See you soon, Sweet Cheeks," he said as he shut the door. Sara waved goodbye as the cab sped off into the Vegas traffic.

She checked her watch; it was about an hour since she had her conversation with Grissom. She hoped that he was still in the lab, or his office. She drove back to the lab and searched for Grissom. He wasn't in his office, any of the labs, or autopsy. Sara was about to give up on her search when she remembered that she had left dirty clothes in her locker. She wanted to make sure she had clean clothes before the next shift. Sara walked back into the locker room and was surprised to find Grissom still sitting there. It looked like he hadn't moved since she left the locker room over an hour ago.

"Grissom?" she called out cautiously.

"Sara?" His head jerked up, "I thought you went out to eat with DiNozzo."

"I did," she said as she took a seat next to him on the bench.

His head drooped once more, and Grissom asked, "When do you guys leave for D.C.?"

"Who says I'm leaving?" Sara nudged Grissom's shoulder playfully.

Grissom's head snapped up again, and he was at a complete loss for words.

"What? You didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?" Sara smiled at him.

Before Sara knew it, Grissom had engulfed her into a hug. He hauled her swiftly onto his lap and Sara wound her arms around his neck. Grissom nuzzled his nose into her hair muttering "Thank God," over and over again.

"I didn't know you were such a religious person, Grissom," Sara quipped as he pulled her even tighter to him.

"I'm usually not, but some sort of miracle had to take place in order for you to still be here with me, right now."

"It's not a miracle, Grissom."

He pulled back curiously and looked into her eyes. "It's love," she said simply.

Grissom smiled as he pulled her head back gently for a kiss. They both sat there for a moment, enjoying each other's company.

Sara finally slid off his lap and took his hand in hers. "Come on, I'll take you home," she said as she pulled him onto his feet.

_Home_, Grissom thought. _I like the sound of that_.

_**fin**_

**Hey! I hope you guys enjoyed the story. I know I could not make everyone happy with this ending, but I still have much love for Tony. My inner GSRness told me Grissom and Sara had to be together. Anyway, hopefully I'll be working on a new one after NaNoWriMo is finished at the end of November! Yes, I am one of the many crazy people that are going to write 50,000 words of an original novel in 30 days. Yikes! Anyway, please review! I love feedback!**


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